Table



4 Sheets-Sheet l June 7, 1932.

C. F. DRECKSCHMIDT TABLE Filed March 3l, 1950 June 7, 1932. c. F. DRECKSCHMIDT TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5l, 1930 `lune 7, 1932.

C. F. DRECKSCHM] DT TABLE Filed March 5l, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 :w TQQ, w l@ m. Q m M d. 1MM W. W k wm /M WU W a w W e a f /A y 6 d mw Wawy wmw www M M Jue 7, 1932. c. F. DREcKvscHMlD-r TABLE 4 Sheets-Shea?I 4 Filed March 5l, 1950 l l l l l n l A l l l l l l l l l l l l n l n l l l lr x l l l l l l ll .ddl

W5 the supplemental middle section. The con- Patented June 7, 1932 .UNIT-ED .sir Aras rai oFFicfE .OHARLES F. DRncxsCIM-IDT, 0F sfr.V Louis, MISSOURI v TABLE p "Application flied Marchal, 1930. serial No. 440.2291.

This f invention relatesto v extension tables. Y @ne of theobjects of Vtheinvention-is to provide a table having a supplemental-top section which maybe readily lplaced in land 'G removed from a position to form 'a part of the top` table surface, and -in alposition` in Which-itwill be concealed `vvhelrnot in use, which Will be-simple in Aconstruction and economicalito manufacture. l

lo vAnother object oit'the invention is to pro vide Vmeans for moving such asupplemental top section, operable-by the spread of the permanent sections into cooperating position,

l w andmanually operated meansor dropping '15 the supplemental section'toconcea-led posi-A tion. A Y

Other and further objects Will be apparent frornthe 'following detailed description. p

The-structure includes generally7 a rigid frame lincluding'the'legs,l.alpairrof complementarysections, a supplemental movable middle section, means Iiorinainta'ining the alignment of the complementarytop sections, and means for raising and lowering structionand operation ofthejdevice Will be understood from the Ifollovving detailed `'description taken in connectioirwith tlie'accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. f1 is la side; elevationV ot the, table in contracted position.

Fig. 2 is asideelevation of: the table in eX- tended condition. A VFig. 3 iSfa central. longitudinalvertical-section oifFigl. l s

Fig-4 isa vertical cross-sectionon line V@cf-4. of Fig. 8, showing the` positionof the table as itis alsoin F ig r 2. l

Fig. 51is a centnalcrosssection.of Figs.; and'. l

.Fig..6 is a top planifiewpartly in section showing the tableinf-ull extended position such asto operate themeansgto elevate the supplemental section. l

V45 F.igf 7 is a vertical section onliner-l of Fig. 8 is atop plan view-partly in section ofthe table in extendedposition of vwhich Fig. 2--is a side elevation. Q

Fig.: Spend, therefore, a, central longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 2. Y

K Fig. 10`is, aetop plan viewpartlyin section of the table. inextended position similarY to Fi'g.=8,.fbut Withitheoperating Vmeans moved 55 to such a position. as f to permit :the4 central sectionfte dropto, concealed position.

: Fig. ill isa .vertical .section on line;l`1+1l of Fig. 11,0. i

A trame includesthe end rails 1,.'the iside e@ rails'i; 2, gthe'flegs 8, r and the guide IfailS' 4,, all rigidly secured-in ogether. rlheguide' rails 4 have on .each .fof their. sides a dove-tailed groovel 5 to receive a tongue 6 on cooperating rails secured to the top sections.- A base plate 7 .is rigidly secured to@ theibottom side of the guide'rails ,4D `and serves to give. greater rigidity'to-therame'` to. provide a support'forthe supplementalsection, andzto .provide a `support ifor guides to, maintain the complementary top sections .in fproper alignment .with each other .andwithxthe-:frame The permanent complementary ytop Sections each includes a atop ,member y8 formingv the tabletop when the .tableris in. contracted-po- 75 sition,4 and VWit-h the: supplemental `metal section forming ,theftabletop .Whenthe tableis inextended position..- End'aprons andside apronslO are securedto and depend fromthe top members 8. Corner cleats l1 maybe provided to: givegreater rigidity-` tothe topstructure. The :top members Saareprovided at their adjacent edges-.With zdovvel :pins 12 and socketsl. Railsj14 aresecured toone ofthe top,-members.-,8,.fandrails15-1are securedfto 85 thezothen top mem-ber 8, and each has a tongue cooperati-ng in the grooveV inthe guiderails i 4f. It,` is. thus seen that the complementary top members arefzmo-vable touand fromv each otherandmovablerwith respect to the frame. -Means are yprovided f to 3o-ordinate :the movements of f the two. complementary top sections.V so. that when! .one :section ismovediy in one d-ire'f'ztionl With reference to the' frameg-the othersection Willwbe moved tothe same vextent in-'ztlhei opposite', direction. @These means'y in` cludea rack. lGxmountedoir topof eachofnthe rails 14: a1idi1`5,- :and A. meshing AV'With Ya pinion 17..'pivotally.secured?toflthefrailfl.ff'L v iBlocksleSl are rigidly securedft-.thebase and respectively bear against the outer sides of the outer rails 14 and 15. Blocks 19 are also rigidly secured to the base 7 and respectively bear against the inner sides of the inner rails V14 and 15. The blocks 18 and 19 the sockets 13.V

Guide pins 23 are rigidly secured to the top member 2() and engage in bores 24 in the blocks 19 so that the top vfmember'20 is maintained in'horizontal position at all times, and may thus, with respect to the frame, bejmoved only vvin a vertical position. When the supplemental top member 20 is dropped to its lowermost position its bottom 'surface rests upon and is supported by thetops .of the i Y blocks 19. It will thus be seen that when the supplemental. member 20 is dropped to its -lowermost position the permanent top sections may be moved toward each other over Vit and thereby cover and conceal the supplemental section. If the complementary top sections be spread apart, and themember 20 raised to an alignment with the complementary sections and supported in that position, the complementary sections may be closed against the supplemental section and thus form a table top of extended dimensions. y

Means are provided for raising and supporting the supplemental Ysection in alignmentwith the complementary'sections, and thereby provide an extended table top surface. A member 25 is positioned between the base element 7 and the supplemental element 20. This intermediate element 25 .has at each side a' pinA 26 sliding inA a groove 27 in the side of the block 19. These ygrooves 27 vare inclined :forv apart of their distance, and are horizontal for a part oftheir .distance. Wedge-shaped blocks 28 are secured to the underside of theintermediate element 25 andare positioned so thattheirinclinedV surfaces Vwill engagey with the side edge of the base 7. The arrangementl of the pins 26 in cooperation With the groove 27, and the arrangementV of the wedge blocks 28in cooperation with the base 7, is such that when the intermediate element '25 is moved forward. it willV be elevated. i Lugs 29 in the form of metal domes are placed on the upper surface of the'intermediate element 25 and are adapted to cooperate with cleats 30v secured to'the underside 'of the supplementalm'ember 20. Thusvvhenthe intermediate element 25 is movedfrward it is raised and the vlugs 29 contact with the cleats 30 elevating the member 20 to a position level with the permanent top sections 8.

Means areprovided for moving the intermediate element 25 forward, which consist of a flexible element 31 secured at one end to a cleat 32 attached on the bottom side of the intermediate element 25, and secured at its other end to the cleat 11 secured to the bottom side of one of the permanent top elements 8.

Y Thus when they permanent complementary -top elements are fully extended the intermediate element 25 is brought forward and raises by wedging action thesupplemental top element 2O to an aligned position. By moving the complementary top ymembers together the supplemental member is secured between them.

Means are provided for releasing the-supplemental member which comprise a flexible element 34 secured to anend of the cleat 32 opposite the end to which the flexible element 31 is attached. The-other end of the flexible element 34 is secured to one end of a lever 35 pivoted to a block 36 secured to one of the side frame members 2. The lever 35 'nsV is provided with a handle 37 for manual operation. Y v

While the operation of the device may be understood from the preceding r,detailed explanation of its construction, a further description of this operation will assist in the understanding of the device. Figs. 1, 3 and 5 illustrate the table in its contracted positionfin which the supplementaljsection is concealed. Assuming it is desired to extend the table, the operator grasps oneor` the com` plementary end sections and pulls it away from the center; the guide rails 14 and`15 plementary sections moving at the same rate byY reason of the pinions 17 in mesh withjthe racks 16 attached tothe guide rails l14and 15.V The complementary sections are spread until they assume the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7. By that movement thei'lexible member 31 pulls the intermediate member25 to one side and in that movement, by reason of the engagement of the pins 26 in the inclined portion of the groove 27 and the engagement of the Wedge member 28 with the base plate 7, the vintermediate member 25 is raised, causing the lugs 29 to engage theV cleats 30. The

' supplemental top section 2O is thereby raised to a position in which it is in alignment with. the complementary top portions 8. vThe intermediate member 25 has been moved to such be pushed-*together andclosed upon thesupslide with respect to the'rail 4, both Com- .105,1

plemental section, and the device assumes the position illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 8 and 9.

When the table islto be contracted, the lever 35 is moved by the handle 37 and, by reason of the flexible connection 34, the intermediate member 25 is withdrawn to such a position as to permit the supplemental element 20 to drop to its concealed position. The table after the withdrawal of the supplemental member 25, but before the supplemental section is dropped, is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. In actual practice, however, before the lever 35 is moved the complementary sections will be spread slightly so as to disengage the dowel pins 12 from the sockets 21 and the dowel pins 22 fromv the sockets 13.

A particular advantage rests in the method of support and the manual method of withdrawing the supporting elements in that the table will not be collapsed by reason of the accidental spreading of the complementary members. The supplemental section 20 will not drop until the intermediate member 25 has been Withdrawn by manipulation of the lever 35.

The invention, therefore, accomplishes its purpose. A self-contained structure has been provided which includes a supplemental top section which may be readily placed in and removed from its useful position, and which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture. There has also been provided means for moving and positively supporting the supplemental section operable by the spread of the complementary permanent sec tions. The construction is such also as to prevent accidental displacement of a supplemental section, since its movement into inoperative or concealed position is entirely dependent upon manual operable means.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutl departing from the spirit of this invention, and that within the scope of the appended claims the invention is not limited to the speciiic means illustrated and described. p

I claim: Y

1. In an extension table, end sections movable toward and away from each other, a vertically movable center section, a rigid base below said center section, blocks rigid on said base having therein grooves that are horizontal for a part of their length and inclined for a part of their length, a movable element located between said blocks, projections from the ends of said movable element engaging in said grooves, means for operating said movable el-ement to raise said center' section to position in alinement with said end sections, and means in connection with said center section engaging said blocks and holding said center section from lateral movement in either direction.

2. In an extension table, end sections movable toward and away fromeach other, a

vertically movable center section, amovable element supported for sliding movements below and relative to said centersection, means for moving said element, means Vfor holding saidvelement in a horizontal position when it is moved, means for moving said center section by said element to position'between said end sections, and means other than said end sections preventingsaid centersection .from tilting and from moving'laterally when `said center-section ismoved as aforesaid.. Y

3. Inl an extension table, end sections mov-A Vvertically movable center section, `supports for supporting said center Vsectionv below said end sections when said end sections are adjacently disposed, a movable element, `means for moving said element below and with respect to said centersection and formoving said center section vertically by said movable element, devices other than said endsec'- tionsholding said center section from moving laterally and from inclining, a connection for moving said element in one direction by one of said end sections, and a lever for moving said element in the other direction to lower said center section.

5. In lan extension table, end sections movable toward and away from eachother, a vertically movable center section, a rigid base below said center section, blocks rigid on said base having therein grooves that are horizontal for a part of their length and that are inclined for a part of their length, a movable element located between said blocks, projections from the ends of said movable element engaging in said `roove, parts in connection with said mova le element engagingsaid base and cooperating with said projections and said grooves to raise said movable ele- Y ment when said element is moved laterally in one direction, means for moving said rmovable element laterally in said direction, guide connections between said center section and said blocks holding said center section from Vlateral movement, and means for raising said center section by said movable element.

V6. Inv an extension table, end sections movable toward and away from each other, avertically movable center section, supports for supporting said center section below said end sections when said end sections are juxtap'osed, a movable element for raising said center section from said supports to position between and Vin alinement with said end sections, means for moving said movable element under and with respect to said center section,means for elevating said movable element when said element is moved as aforesaid and thereby moving said center section vertically to positionV between and in alinement with said end sections, 'and means in connection with said center section engaging vsaid supports'and holding'said center section.

in a horizontal position. Y y

7. In an extension table, end sections movable toward and away from each other, a vertically movable` center section, supports for supporting said center section lbelow said end sections when said end sections are junta` posed, a movable element for raising said center section from said supports to position between'and n alinement with said end sec-v tions, means for moving said movable ele ment under and withrespect to said center section, means for elevating said movable element when saidV element is moved as aforesaid and thereby moving said center section vertically to positionbetween and in alinement with said end sections, means in connection with said center section engaging said supports and holding said center section in ahorizontal position, `and devices for mov ingsaid movable element inthe oppositedi rection to permit said center section to move downwardly onto said supports.

CHARLES if. DaEoKsoHMiDT. 

